Malphegor
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YTS: Ch. 55
🕑 Added 2025-03-28 16:13:59 +0000 UTCAfter bidding farewell to Minato, Kei leisurely strolled back home.
He quietly activated the secret technique of the Yamanaka clan again, connecting through the backdoor to the sensory barrier that enveloped the entire Konoha.
Following the chakra signatures of Guy, Kurenai, and Genma, he easily found the three of them under the awning outside the sweet chestnut store, eating yōkan while watching the rain.
He then performed a summoning technique, intending to summon his most familiar crow to bring the three youngsters over.
This crow was different from the "swift-type" crow he had previously summoned in the Summoning Island.
It had noticeably higher intelligence than its peers. It could understand and follow some not-too-complex commands.
Its favorite pastime was wandering around Konoha during the sanctuary's free-flying hours, spotting people with food, and using its sweet-talking skills to snatch a few bites.
Because of this habit, its body was nearly half the size larger than other crows, round and plump, causing its flight speed to be significantly slower than its peers.
Kei, amused by its intelligence, not only accepted it but even gave it a name: Corvi.
However...
"Wait, what the hell—where's Corvi?"
He stared blankly at the fading smoke. Refusing to believe it, he dipped his finger into his blood reservoir again and performed the summoning technique once more. Unfortunately, the crow was still nowhere to be seen.
Feeling uncertain, he tried summoning other crows instead.
A chorus of cawing instantly echoed throughout his residence.
"Did it die?!"
He casually dismissed the summoning technique and stood up, bewildered.
If the issue wasn't on his end, then something must have happened to his summoning beast. There were only two reasons a summoning beast wouldn't respond to a summoning:
One, it was trapped within a sealing barrier or had its body bound by a seal.
Two, it had already passed away.
Who in their right mind would go out of their way to seal a fat crow?
So... How did Corvi, which was perfectly fine, just disappear?
Yesterday, when he returned, he had left his falcon, Pidgeot, at the bird summon beast sanctuary for temporary care.
The staff hadn't mentioned anything to him! Did something happen between noon yesterday and now?
Wait... His memories flashed through his mind, replaying the scene from the sanctuary yesterday.
When the staff received him, their expressions...
At the time, he had been in a rush to report his mission with Minato at the Hokage's office and hadn't paid much attention.
But now that he recalled it, their gazes seemed... evasive?
One or two people might have been a coincidence, but if no one dared to meet his eyes, then wasn't that suspicious?
"Are you kidding me?! I pay so much money to the sanctuary every year, and they didn't even bother to tell me my summon is dead?!"
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He even suspected that something had gone wrong at the sanctuary, leading to his summoning beast's disappearance.
Without caring about his plans for breakfast anymore, he immediately got up and rushed toward the northeast part of Konoha.
The Konoha Bird Summoning Beast Sanctuary was located in the northeast corner of the village, built against the cliff face of the Hokage Rock.
On clear days, flocks of summoning birds could be seen soaring freely in the sky or perching on the cliffs for a rest. But today, due to the weather, most of the birds were staying inside the sanctuary to avoid the rain.
Even from a distance, the sounds of various birds chirping filled the air.
The moment Kei stepped through the sanctuary's entrance, before he could even ask a question, the staff members immediately bowed at a uniform ninety-degree angle.
The sanctuary's manager rushed over at full speed, bowing deeply before even lifting his head, and began apologizing.
"Kei! We deeply apologize! Your summoning beast, Corvi, unfortunately encountered an accident during its free-flight time twelve days ago! Previously, I was taken to the ANBU for questioning, and the staff was instructed to maintain confidentiality, preventing us from informing you in time. This was our mistake! We sincerely reflect on our failure, and we will compensate you to make up for your loss. Please believe us..."
After his long-winded apology, the manager quickly pulled out an envelope from beneath the office desk, which had clearly been prepared in advance, and respectfully presented it with both hands.
Judging by its thickness, it seemed to contain around five million ryō.
Kei had ten crows housed at the sanctuary, with an annual boarding fee of approximately 800,000 ryō.
That meant the cost of keeping a single crow per year was 80,000 ryō.
Don't think that's cheap.
Currently, a war orphan in Konoha only received a 6,000 ryō living stipend per month. The cost of boarding a single summoning crow was higher than a person's living expenses.
He had been raising Corvi for three years, which totaled about 240,000 ryō in boarding fees. Adding in the initial hatching and summoning beast training expenses, his total expenditure was roughly 300,000 ryō.
A five-million-ryō compensation was, by normal standards, a sincere offer.
"…ANBU? What happened?"
He looked at the sanctuary staff, who remained in their deep bowing posture. They hesitated multiple times before speaking, making him sigh in frustration.
He had come here filled with rage. But their reasoning made sense, their attitude wasn't wrong, and since ANBU had ordered confidentiality, he really couldn't blame them.
What now?
"Your summoning beast met with an accident near the end of its free-flight time. While flying past the Hokage's office, it collided with the Hokage's advisor, who was exiting through the window… and unfortunately perished."
The manager's face showed both fear and pain. This incident had cost him dearly.
Previously, when an "ANBU ninja" came knocking, he had been taken in for questioning, even being suspected of deliberately attacking a high-ranking Konoha official.
He had nearly died from shock on the spot.
If it weren't for reverse hypnosis and memory probing proving he had no intent to harm Konoha's leadership, confirming that it was purely an accident, he might not have even made it back alive!
And even so, the sanctuary still had to pay a hefty compensation to the Hokage's advisor.
But who was really to blame here? The crow for flying too low and not defending itself?
Or the Hokage's advisor for jumping too high… while wearing a steel helmet?
Twelve days ago? Danzō?! I had just left the Hokage's office, and then he immediately turned my summoning beast into a corpse? Are you sure it crashed to death and wasn't skewered by a kunai?
Kei's initial anger had faded, but now it flared up again. Danzō was targeting him, wasn't he?
It had to be!
Given how Corvi flew at the speed of a casual stroll, how could it possibly crash into someone hard enough to die?
"They say the Hokage's advisor was rushing to carry out a classified mission. He left using the Body Flicker Technique… and was wearing a combat helmet. Your summoning beast was…"
"Hit by the helmet?"
"Yes… Please accept our condolences. Also, regarding the compensation paid to the Hokage's advisor, we at the sanctuary have already settled it. You don't have to bear any responsibility, so there's no need for you to worry."
"Compensation? That old bastard actually had the nerve to demand compensation?!"
Kei was completely stunned.
His summoning beast had been killed by Danzō's steel helmet, and that guy still had the audacity to turn around and demand a payout?!
"Ahem… Kei, here are the ashes of your summoning beast. Would you like to take them with you, or have them interred in our summoning beast cemetery?"
Hearing Kei curse Danzō, the sanctuary manager visibly shuddered and quickly changed the subject.
He really didn't want another trip to ANBU headquarters. So no matter who was at fault, no matter whose responsibility it was—he just wanted this mess over with!
"… Bury it in the cemetery."
Kei looked at the small white urn in the manager's hands, barely bigger than a cigarette box.
He felt furious.
He felt frustrated.
He was speechless.
He was the one who gave Danzō [Big Brainstorm].
And now it was his summoning beast that had died because of it.
